God doesn't just hear your prayers, but He listens and answers. Psalm 65 For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song. 1  Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. 2  You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. 3  When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. 4  Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. 5  You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, 6  who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, 7  who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. 8  The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. 9  You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. 10  You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. 11  You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. 12  The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. 13  The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary So many of the psalms model how we ought to pour out our laments and place our needs before God in prayer. So often it seems like we go from one crisis to the next, and we either forget or fail to notice in the first place how the needs we were praying for a year ago or even a week ago were met by our Father. This 65th psalm guides us in praising God for the many different ways that God answers our prayers. Mark Futato explains that Psalm 65 focuses on three kinds of our prayers that God hears and consistently answers for us , for which we must give Him praise. 1) Praise for Restoration to the Divine Presence (v1-4) David, as he often does so well, begins his prayer by a cknowledging who God is. He is the one who answers prayer and forgives our transgressions. Because God has been so faithful, praise awaits Him, our God, in Zion. David picks up on the themes that underlie the Canons of Dordt, noting that blessed are those God chose and brought near to live in your courts! 2) Praise for Awesome Deeds (v5-8) The fact that we fail to notice all of the prayers God has answered on our behalf is not because God's response is so hard to see. God answers us with awesome and righteous deeds. God answers your prayers with the same power that He used to form the mountains, stilled the roaring seas and the turmoil of the nations. This is why God our Savior is the hope of all the ends of the earth, which is filled with His wonders, and why we ought to respond with awe and songs of joy. 3) Praise for Abundant Provisions (v9-13) God's awesome deeds extend far beyond just giving us good things and then expecting us to take it from there. Our Father deserves our praise because of His ongoing providence and care. Notice the repetition in how David expresses God's care: He provides abundantly (3x) and causes good things to overflow (2x).   Dig Deeper   David is very literal as He addresses God in v2. Literally translated, he calls God the hearer of prayer , a phrase which is preserved in the ESV and NET translations. But I think the NIV did well to translate the phrase as you who answers prayer. The Hebrew word being translated, shema , means more than just to hear, but to listen and act upon what is heard. What good would it be to have a god who heard the noise of our prayers but never listened to them or acted upon them? But our God truly listens and in response provides you with exactly what you need, and He does so in abundance! Of course this doesn't mean He always gives you what you ask for, but again, if you go back and look at what you were praying for a week ago, or a year ago, or a decade ago, you'll probably be thankful He didn't give you all that you wanted at the time. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who fills with good things those He has chosen to bring near; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will recognize the abundance of God's provision in your life, and thank Him for not just hearing your prayers, but for answering them as well; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Galatians 1

Your spiritual life can be measured by your appetite. Bible.com Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV) CONTEXT: 4:23  Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24  News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25  Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. 5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2  and he began to teach them. He said: 3  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary When we start reading the Beatitudes in the last paragraph of chapter four rather than just jumping in at the beginning of chapter five, the sharp contrast between what Jesus was teaching and the condition of the world around Him becomes so much more apparent. Matthew records Jesus teaching throughout Galilee, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. As word of Jesus' healing power goes out, throngs of those who were ill with various diseases, suffering severe pain, demon possessed, with seizures and paralysis come to Him in hopes of being healed . It's to these miserable people who surrounded Him that Jesus begins to preach about what a happy life looks like. The major English Bible translations don't like that word - they instead render it blessed, and not without good reason. In modern English, “happy” primarily conveys an emotional state —a fleeting feeling of pleasure or contentment, whereas the Biblical word translated blessed carries a deeper sense of spiritual well-being  and divine favor , which is not necessarily tied to temporary emotions. But still, the stark contrast between the misery of life in this sin cursed world and the true life Jesus came to provide for those His Father gave Him is clearly evident in this passage. But if you read this passage in a Bible that contains footnotes or cross references, you'll quickly notice that this contrast Jesus presents is nothing new. Nearly every one of these Beatitudes Jesus mentions are rooted in Old Testament passages. So it's not a stretch to summarize the entire passage as blessed [happy] are those who live according to God's Word.   Dig Deeper   Of course it's v6 that brings us to the Sermon on the Mount today. The Canons mentioned this hunger and thirst for righteousness as one of the key indicators you can look for in your own life as certain assurance of your election. So it's important to understand exactly what Jesus means here as He echoes the Old Testament (Psalm 42:2, 63:1, Isaiah 55:1-2, contrasted in Amos 8:11-14). D.A. Carson summarizes well what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness , These people hunger and thirst, not only that they may be righteous (i.e., that they may wholly do God’s will from the heart), but that justice may be done everywhere. All unrighteousness grieves them and makes them homesick for the new heaven and new earth—the home of righteousness (2 Pe 3:13). Satisfied with neither personal righteousness alone nor social justice alone, they cry for both. In short, they long for the advent of the messianic kingdom. What they taste now whets their appetites for more. Ultimately they will be satisfied without qualification only when the kingdom is consummated. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sent His Son to transform our misery into blessedness ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will truly hunger and thirst for righteousness in every realm of life; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 13

Guilt is a gift from God - but don't wallow in it! We'd rather sunbathe in a blizzard than confront Christians about their sin 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 (NIV) CONTEXT: Paul begins today's passage by referring to earlier letters he had written to the Corinthian church in which he called out their sins and for them to repent. 8  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9  yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11  See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary It can be hard to call out sin, especially for us who live here in the Upper Midwest. We'd certainly never condone sins in other people, and we're far too quick to gossip about other people's sins behind their back, but we'd rather sunbathe in a blizzard than confront a Christian brother or sister directly when they're in the thick of sin. It's none of our business, or so we tell ourselves. To do so might cause them sorrow , and that's about the last thing we ever want to cause! It's interesting to read here that we're not alone in this apprehension. Even Paul writes that after he sent them a strongly worded letter, he regretted it, since it quickly became obvious to him that his letter hurt them. Yet whatever regret he felt, he quickly got over. In fact, as he pens this current letter, he writes that I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. What Paul learned, and now conveys to us, is that there are two different types of sorrow . The first and most common type is worldly sorrow. Everybody - people from every tongue, tribe and nation, both Christians and pagans, - experiences worldly sorrow after doing things they know to be wrong. We more commonly call this type of sorrow guilt. Not only does this worldly sorrow make people miserable here and now, but it ultimately brings death . But the other type of sorrow, Godly sorrow , is quite different, though at first glance it might not look very different at all. Its initial symptoms of guilt, grief and distress look and feel very much the same. But godly sorrow comes with an exit ramp that allows you to escape it: repentance , a word which literally means to change your thinking.   Dig Deeper   Paul explains exactly what repentance - this new way of thinking - looks like in v11. Godly sorrow produces earnestness, an eagerness to clear yourself. It causes indignation, alarm, and a longing concern regarding your sin. It brings about a readiness to see justice done in order to make things right. Ultimately, this repentant change of thinking and behavior leads to salvation as you come to rely more and more on Jesus Christ. The Canons today remind you that although all people generally feel guilty after doing wrong (except for a very small percentage of people with pathological psychiatric problems), the godly sorrow for your sins that you experience is above and beyond what others feel, and is actually one of the fruits of election! This means that as you feel bad, not just for hurting yourself and others in your sin, but even more so for sinning against God, you are being assured that He chose you to belong to Him as God uses this sorrow to bring you to repentance. Sadly, many today, both in the world and even in the Church, would rather normalize sin than cause sorrow in sinners. Doing so not only degrades all of society as more injurious behavior becomes acceptable, but even worse it keeps sinners from experiencing godly sorrow that leads to repentance . Be grateful for this godly sorrow in your own life, and seek to wisely and appropriately allow others to experience it and so be led to salvation. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who intends to make us sorrowful when we sin against Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the sorrow that He's brought about in your life that leads you to repentance and salvation ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 12

Find out what separates true worshippers from posers. Biblia.com Malachi 3:16-17 (NIV) CONTEXT: God speaks through the prophet Malachi to confront Israel's spiritual apathy and corrupt worship. We looked at an earlier part of chapter three last week to see that our unchanging God spares His disobedient people because He stays faithful to His covenant with their fathers. Yet God continues to lodge accusations against His people for robbing God by withholding offerings and arrogantly ignoring the "mournful" way God had commanded them to worship and instead following their more entertaining ways of 'worship.' In today's passage, Malachi describes how the faithful few heard God's accusations and repented. 14  “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15  But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’ ” 16  Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 17  “On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18  And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary It's somewhat ironically refreshing to see that the same old accusations that people make now against God and Christianity - that worshiping Him is a boring waste of time that doesn't really matter since evildoers prosper even though they put God to the test , all while true believers seem to suffer as much, if not more, than everybody else - this same argument has been made now for thousands of years. It's nothing new. Commentator Iain Duguid captures well the attitude that drives this tired complaint: Those who had hard words against God in Malachi’s day [and today as well] viewed religion as a fundamentally commercial transaction, just as Cain did before them. They gave something to God—sacrifices, offerings, and a variety of religious activities—and they expected a return on their investment: the blessings of prosperity and welfare. As a result, if their religious efforts didn’t materially benefit them in measurable ways, it meant that the Lord had not kept his end of the bargain. God owed them something in return for their obedience. In other words, these serial complainers are only interested in worshipping God if they feel they're getting more back than what they're putting in. Malachi helps us see what it is that defines faithful worshippers of God: it's those who feared the LORD. Duguid goes on to describe them (and hopefully you as well!): The God-fearing group, however, viewed religion fundamentally in relational rather than commercial terms: they truly feared and honored God as their Father. They trusted him, loved him, and, yes, at times could be really angry at him. Through good times and bad, though, it was God that they longed for, not merely what he could do for them. They were his children, not his customers or investment partners.   Dig Deeper   This week we're focused on how it is you can be absolutely assured of God's election in your life. The Canons speak of four unmistakable fruits of election that you can begin to notice more and more within yourself. Today we're coming to understand the second of these four fruits: a childlike fear of God . That's an interesting juxtaposition of words - childlike and fear . We've looked often at what the common expression fear the LORD means as we've read the Bible together these last few years , coming to understand that not only must we honor, respect and revere God, but also that we must also be afraid of Him, knowing that we owe our very existence to Him. But the Canons remind us to experience this fear in a childlike way. That is, with a humble, trusting, dependent attitude that sees the LORD Almighty as our Father who has compassion on us, His treasured possession. When you notice that it's this childlike fear that drives you to worship God rather than the selfish desires of those that continually complain against God, you can be certain that this godly attitude comes as an unmistakable fruit of your election. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father who has compassion on us, His treasured possession; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will exercise the childlike fear that God has instilled in you in your election; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 11

You can know for sure if God has elected you. scripturetype.com Hebrews 11:1-6 (NIV) 11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2  This is what the ancients were commended for. 3  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4  By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5  By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-11 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: God’s election is unalterable. Malachi 3:6-7 - Keep It Simple Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchanging Anchor Hebrews 13:1-8 - Keep On Loving Hebrews 6:13-20 - Unchangeable Blessing Psalm 110 - Victory in Jesus Article 12: The Assurance of Election Assurance of their eternal and unchangeable election to salvation is given to the chosen in due time,  though by various stages and in differing measure.  Such assurance comes  not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God,  but by noticing within themselves, with spiritual joy and holy delight, the unmistakable fruits of election pointed out in God’s Word— such as a true faith in Christ, a childlike fear of God, a godly sorrow for their sins, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on. Summary When we read this passage last year , we noted that there's so much meaning packed into the Greek word translated as confidence that it takes multiple English words to capture the essence. Faith certainly results in confidence, but it also enables you to be sure, to realize what you hoped for, so that you have full assurance and conviction that what God has communicated to us in His Word is absolutely true. True learning and understanding are only possible for those who have faith in God's Word. Sure, people can discover facts apart from true faith, but on their own they'll often assemble all of those facts in a way that conveys something far different than the truth, sort of like the incomprehensible picture that would come out of forcing puzzle pieces together in the wrong order. It's only by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. But even more importantly, you need true faith to make you right with God. Abel's offering wasn't any different than Cain's, but only Abel's was acceptable because he offered it in faith , and therefore God commended it as righteous . In other words, as the Bible also says of Abraham, God credited righteousness - the most important thing you need to be at peace with God - to Abel based on faith alone.   Dig Deeper   Can you really know if this unconditional election we've been studying all year applies to you? It would be nice if the thumbs of those God elected turned blue or we had some other sort of physical mark we could see to know for sure if God had chosen us or not. Even though your thumb won't change color, you can be just as certain of your election as if it had. This week we're going to be discovering how God conveys assurance of your eternal and unchangeable election to salvation through four unmistakable fruits of election. The first of these four fruits is a true faith in Christ . As we've already learned this year, the only way that you can have true faith is if God gives it to you . This means that if you truly do trust Christ as your Savior, you have faith, and therefore can be certain of your election ! And since you know that God's election is irrevocable, you can continue to be certain of it even when doubt encroaches upon your faith. As an added bonus, this faith you've been given in your election helps you fulfill the very purpose you were created for. Without faith it is impossible to please God , but because you believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him , you can confidently do the work He's set before you, knowing that it's pleasing and acceptable to Him through Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is pleased with all those He's given faith to; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will make every effort to build up the faith that you've been given; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 10

God has promised you victory in Jesus, and He will not change His mind! Image: Unsplash Psalm 110 Of David. A psalm. 1  The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2  The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” 3  Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.  4  The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 5  The LORD is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6  He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7  He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Psalm 110 could easily be summarized in one word: victory. This Psalm of course portrays victory for the LORD. Notice His sovereign power and how it achieves victory: I will make your enemies a footstool; The LORD will extend your scepter; The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind (of course this is the verse that grabs our attention this week as we remind ourselves of God's immutability!); The LORD is at your right hand; He will crush kings and judge the nations; The LORD will lift His head high. But this week's Psalm also conveys another key theme in the Psalms - a theme which was introduced way back in the second Psalm : that the LORD will share His victory with His anointed King. It's obvious that Psalm 110 captures a monologue of the LORD. The psalm opens with the phrase The LORD says to my lord... The question is, who is the LORD speaking to? The gospels record Jesus asked this very same question a number of times throughout His ministry (Mt 22:44, Mk 12:36, and Lk 20:42). Jesus notes that David wrote this psalm, yet David certainly wouldn't refer to himself as the LORD ( YHWH ), but it doesn't make sense that he would refer to himself as my lord either. So who is the LORD talking to here in Psalm 110?   Dig Deeper   Whereas Jesus only asks the question rhetorically and never fully answers it, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not only asks the same question about this psalm that Jesus did, but he goes on to answer it in no uncertain terms: Acts 2:34-39 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has sworn and will not change His mind; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have the confidence in the LORD's victory that Psalm 110 promises; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 9

God is the one thing you can trust in this shifty world. WorldChallenge.org Numbers 23:19–20 CONTEXT: In Numbers 22–24, King Balak of Moab fears the growing strength of Israel as they camp near his land, so he hires the prophet Balaam to pronounce a curse on them. However, God intervenes, commanding Balaam to speak only what He permits. Despite Balak’s repeated attempts to secure a curse, Balaam delivers three prophetic blessings over Israel, affirming God’s faithfulness and sovereign will. Today's passage is from Balaam's second attempt. But once again, King Balak doesn't get the curse on Israel he hoped for. Instead, Balaam says, 19  God is not man, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? 20  I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. 21  “No misfortune is seen in Jacob no misery observed in Israel. The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Balaam was a pagan prophet for hire, so to speak. For the right price, he would tell you whatever you wanted to hear from the gods, conveying either divine blessings or curses depending on what his client was after. Though not an Israelite, he had some awareness of the LORD, the true and living God, and could receive divine revelations from Him. If you're familiar with Balaam at all, it's probably from the episode in the previous chapter in which his donkey spoke to him, warning Balaam that the Angel of the LORD stood before them blocking the way. The Bible presents the story of Balaam with a heavy dose of irony, even humorously at times (as it also does with characters like Jonah and Esther). As one commentator puts it , "If we will not speak or act for God, He can use a jackass to accomplish His will. We are not as important as we often think we are." Commentator Ronald Allen best explains what's going on in this passage and why it's grabbed our attention today. He writes, The words God is not a man, that he should lie describe both the immutability of the Lord and the integrity of his word. Balaam is himself a foil for God. Balaam is constantly shifting, equivocating, changing—he is himself the prime example of the distinction between God and humanity. Balaam’s view of the gods was based on his own human failings. Now he confronts God, who is not at all like humans in their failures. This fact is the stunning reality. All others may change; God—even with all of his power—cannot change, for he cannot deny himself. God must fulfill his promise, for he has bound his character to his Word (emphasis added).   Dig Deeper   One of the reasons it's so hard for you at times to trust God is that it's often so hard for you to trust people in general. You've likely developed an instinctual wariness about people over time because everywhere you turn you're surrounded by all sorts of lying, cheating, and duplicity. Even more tragically, if you're honest with yourself you probably see those ugly traits in your own life as well. So let these words that God spoke through the mouth of this wayward prophet sink in and remind you why it is that you can trust that God's grace is stronger than you are, even in a world where there are so few people you can trust: The LORD has blessed, and I [nor anyone or anything else] cannot change it. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who does not lie nor change His mind, who has blessed you and called you to belong to Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will increase your trust of Him in all things; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 8

Your ability to love depends on your growing knowledge of Christ. bibleversestogo.com Hebrews 13:1-8 (NIV) 13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2  Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3  Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4  Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  6  So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere men do to me?”  7  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary New Testament epistles (letters) often end with a list of exhortations (short, practical instructions) like what is found here at the end of Hebrews. So much of Hebrews is focused vertically, demonstrating what Christ came down to do for humanity. This final passage draws some horizontal conclusions from those vertical doctrines; in other words, it shows how a people who are in Christ ought to interact with those around them. Notice the ongoing aspect of each of the commands: keep on loving; do not forget to show hospitality; continue to remember; keep the marriage bed pure; keep your lives free from the love of money. The Christian life isn't defined by a flash-in-the-pan decision to believe in Christ, but rather a lifelong pursuit of godliness day after day. There's another common thread that runs through these instructions, but it isn't as apparent in English as it is in the Greek this passage was originally written in. But since Greek is easier to understand than you might think, you can recognize and make sense of some of the key words used in this passage: v1 - phila-delphia - Keep on loving your brothers v2 - phila-xenias - Remember to love strangers (the word xeno phobic means fear of strangers/foreigners) v5 - a-phila-argyros - Do not love silver/money (The a prefix negates the verb (phila / love) that follows. Now you know why the symbol on the periodic table of elements for silver is AR! Based on this passage, you could easily summarize the Christian life in just two words: directed love.   Dig Deeper   These exhortations at the end of Hebrews are not just a cold, harsh collection of do's and don'ts meant to define your religion. That's the problem so many people have; to them, doctrine seems dry and boring, and it seems so much more efficient to just cut to the chase and focus on the practical outworkings of Christianity. So they try to live according to these sort of instructions, detached from their doctrinal foundations, and sooner or later end up burning out. So be sure to understand these commands in their context! First of all, they come at the very end of one of the most detailed books in the Bible explaining who Christ is and how He has forever accomplished your salvation. It only makes sense that in order for you to live and love the way Christ did, you must first know Christ well. In the same way, in order to keep on living and loving as Christ did, you must keep on coming to know Him more and more. The learning never stops for Christians! Secondly, notice how these exhortations are rooted to the very character of God right in the passage they come in. When it's hard to love like Christ and be content with what you have because the world continually presses in on you, you can remember God's promise to you: that Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you. No matter how your circumstances change on a continual basis, you can keep on living in love because you know that: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will never forsake us; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will come to know Christ in a way that causes you to live in love toward him and all those around you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 7

Anchor your hope in God's unchanging purpose! Image Credit: Unsplash Hebrews 6:13-20 (NIV) 13  When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14  saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16  People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17  Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18  God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20  where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary Although it's fallen out of fashion, there was once a day in which if you really wanted to add weight to a commitment or add credibility to a claim, you might throw in the phrase on my honor! The value of this phrase, of course, would depend upon the value of your honor. If you'd lived a life of morals and integrity, then people would be encouraged to accept the proposal you were offering, but if you had a shady past, your honor wouldn't be worth much. In other words, past performance is often an accurate predictor of future results. But it's not a guarantee. As an honorable person, you might make a promise with the best of intentions, but be kept from fulfilling it by forces outside of your control. Even though you desperately want to act in accordance with past behavior, you can't. God can certainly point to His past performance as an accurate predictor of future results. But unlike anyone else, God can guarantee the future results He promises because they're based on the unchanging nature of His purpose. His purpose, just like God Himself, exists outside of time, so its very nature is nonnegotiable (literally: impossible to change its stand - it can't be knocked down!). As if the unchanging nature of God's purpose wasn't enough, our passage today throws in another unchangeable attribute of God: It is impossible for God to lie (literally: God does not have the power/ability to lie ).   Dig Deeper   The author to the Hebrews understands the practical significance of God's unchanging nature. We have this hope , he writes, as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Maybe you might find it difficult to trust in God's promises because you live in such a tumultuous world, and every day you feel slammed by monstrous waves of change and hurt by people who didn't keep their promises. But notice what this hope you are promised by God is anchored in! It's not just loosely tied to a future result that may or may not come to fruition. No, it's solidly rooted in the accomplished work of Christ, who has already become your high priest forever (remember, a priest is one who represents people to God). Over two centuries ago, Edward Mote captured this concept poetically in verses that we still sing today: When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who can not lie or change; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be encouraged as you take hold of this hope set before you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 6

Benefit from deep theology by viewing it through God's simple truths. Biblia.com Malachi 3:6-7 CONTEXT: God speaks through the prophet Malachi to confront Israel's spiritual apathy and corrupt worship. Our short passage today comes between two of these accusations. 6  “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7  Ever since the time of your fathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Articles 1-10 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Ephesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8: A Single Decree of Election Romans 4:1-8 - One and the Same Romans 4:9-17 - Chicken or Egg? Romans 4:18-25 - Faithfully Face the Facts Hebrews 11:39-40 - Promises Kept Psalm 33 - God's Control, Authority & Presence Article 9: Election Not Based on Foreseen Faith John 10:22-30 - Listen Up! 2 Timothy 1:7-10 - Passive & Powered Titus 3:3-7 - Transformed Deuteronomy 9:4-6 - You're Not That Awesome Psalm 91 - The Shelter of the Most High Article 10: Election Based on God’s Good Pleasure Luke 2:13-14 - Christmas in March Galatians 4:1-7 - From Slave to Son Isaiah 53:6 - Herd Mentality 1 Peter 2:9-10 - You're The Best Thing God Has! Psalm 5 - The Morning Psalm Article 11: Election Is Unchangeable Just as God is most wise, unchangeable, all-knowing, and almighty,  so the election made by him can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled;  neither can God’s chosen ones be cast off, nor their number reduced. Summary So far this year, we've been working hard to wrap our minds around this difficult concept that God unconditionally elected those He would save. We've already been reminded that when theology gets complicated, it's a good practice to simplify it by going back to its foundational roots: the attributes of God that the Bible tells us so much about. In this short little passage in Malachi, we're reminded of three key characteristics of God: 1) God is immutable . That's probably not a word that you've used yet this week, so it might be better to just simply quote God's own words that open today's passage: I the LORD do not change. We're going to spend the rest of this week being comforted by this awesome attribute, because through it you come to understand that, as the Canons put it, God's election of you can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled, so therefore you can be certain that you will never be cast off. 2) God is just. Remember that you are in a covenantal relationship with God in which He has committed Himself to be your God, and you therefore belong to Him, and are expected to keep His decrees. These decrees - also referred to in the Bible as His laws, commands, precepts, etc - are not burdensome or overbearing. In fact, they define how to live a happy life fulfilling your purpose to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! 3) God is faithful. God's people - Israel then, and the Church now - have consistently turned away from God's decrees and have not kept them. So we completely deserve to be destroyed! But God remains faithful to His covenant even though we do not! The NET Bible captures this idea well, translating the opening line as Since, I, the LORD, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished. God continues to plead with people even today the way He did thousands of years ago through the prophet Malachi: Return to me, and I will return to you!   Dig Deeper   So often the reason people struggle with these doctrines of grace (also known as TULIP or Calvinism ) is because they clash with our deeply rooted sense of fairness and justice. We expect people to earn the good things they receive, and that God ought to change His plan based on human responses. It's so much easier to dwell on seemingly flexible passages in the Bible that can be molded to fit our expectations while avoiding the more rigid passages that don't conform to our presuppositions. However, as you begin to understand the deep and sometimes complicated theology associated with God's sovereignty and predestination through the lens of the simple theology found in passages like today's, the more you will begin to appreciate how beneficial and comforting the doctrines taught in the Canons of Dordt really are. Find peace in knowing that God's unchanging grace is stronger than you are! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who does not change; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will keep God's decrees ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Hebrews 5